


a serenade of love

by angstoverload (TypicalAuthornim)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Character Development, Developing Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, Falling In Love, Feelings, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi is Whipped, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mentioned Moonbin, Minor Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Romance, Soonyoung just needs Love, cafe setup, everyone says soonyoung needs to get laid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 14:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19947427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TypicalAuthornim/pseuds/angstoverload
Summary: they say you waltz through someone's life, but soonyoung hears harmonies when jeon wonwoo walks into his.or, where soonyoung is a singer at a night restaurant and wonwoo is a stranger he (kinda) falls for





	a serenade of love

**Author's Note:**

> this was completely rushed so i'm so sorry if it's not upto expectations ;; but i did try my very best!!
> 
> also min (@haoxishu on twt) made this cute [edit](https://twitter.com/haoxishu/status/1153855164551274496?s=19) for the fic!! go check it out :D

singing is something of a second life to soonyoung. at least, the more interesting part of his life.

as the bass reverberates through the floor and the drums pick up speed, adrenaline rushes to every part of his body. the craving that rises from the deepest parts of his heart is satisfied greatly as he tilts his head back, basking under the spotlight.

soonyoung would never choose anything else.

“but  _ seriously _ , what would we all do if you take the spotlight like that, huh?” seungkwan asks as they pack up for the night. “seriously, you like,  _ grab _ everyone's attention. like grabbing tissue papers.”

soonyoung had given a proud smile and walked off the stage, walking right behind the curtains, but the smile disappeared as soon as he got inside, taking his place on a corner of the couch.

as much as soonyoung loved the spotlight and thrived on it, he couldn't find a meaning for life. it has always been a ride or die thing for him; whatever is to happen will happen. he didn't want to have any control over it. he's known to be a go-with-the-flow guy, ready to take on unexpected challenges; he's praised for it even.

but there are only so many chances to take before they run out.

as soonyoung packs his things into a bag and walks out promptly, waving a weak goodbye to the others.

he hails a cab, gets in it without a word and watches the city shut down for the night, still illuminated by the tall buildings and some open windows.  _ it almost looks like the stars in the sky _ , soonyoung wonders.

soonyoung's only probable flaw is that he thinks a lot. his thoughts are almost like a chariot without any reign, running amok. it hits bumps, drowns and floats, flies and sinks. his endless thoughts are his flaw, and what keeps him up but also pulls him down. and sometimes, he has no thoughts. his mind goes blank, almost scarily so, and soonyoung is afraid of that too.

he pays the driver and walks up the stairs, a glance at the clock at the entrance telling it's one in the night. there's a missed call from seungkwan on his mobile from this evening, and two messages from mingyu, the band's bassist. soonyoung dumps his phone on the bed and strips down, stepping into the bathroom and letting the water hit his back.

it feels like a trance, the time he stands doing nothing but stare at the wall as the water splattered against his bare skin familiarly. it was a part of his routine, the shower every night before going to sleep.

he walks out of the shower and slips into his boxers, and goes to bed directly. he feels his phone buzz with another message, but he doesn't bother checking it.

this is how soonyoung's nights are spent— alone and alone and so, so terribly  _ alone _ .

彡

"hyung, you wanna go out anywhere?" mingyu asks, munching on some chips, legs sprawled out on the couch. soonyoung is right beside him, hands moving to a particular beat, pausing, resuming, and pausing again.

soonyoung turns to mingyu with an indifferent face. "no, i'll pass." soonyoung shakes his head after a long moment of thought.

"you haven't left your apartment this whole weekend. this isn't like you," mingyu shifts his legs to a more comfortable position. "is something bothering you?"

"no, nothing like that."

"then why would you not join us anymore?"

soonyoung looks at mingyu again, but this time his face mixed with a number of emotions. he sees jihoon and joshua at a corner, holding hands and smiling shyly; he sees mingyu and seokmin, loud and boisterous; he sees chan and seungkwan and hansol, planning a prank for a poor someone.

he sees himself amidst it all, alone, alone, alone,  _ alo— _

"i'm just tired," soonyoung brushes it off, standing up and dusting his pants. "i'm gonna go sleep."

"you never come out of your apartment these days," mingyu frowns. "i miss the times we used to roam around all night."

_ yeah, i don't wanna feel like i'm sixth wheeling three couples, thank you _ , soonyoung thinks to himself, but thankfully keeps his mouth shut.

maybe he is sick of being alone, but it isn't really anyone's job to cure that.

"whatever," soonyoung says dismissively and walks with slow steps to his room.

mingyu barely shrugs, eyes strangely set on the tv. soonyoung guesses correctly that mingyu's mad about something (probably  _ The Thing That Happened Just Now _ ), and decides it's best if he just goes to sleep like he told him.

at least he'll be able to stop thinking.

彡

sometimes, when the band has enough time in the setlist, they let an impromptu performance sneak in here and there.

that is how they found seungkwan; college freshman at the time, a ball of nervous talent waiting to be let out. soonyoung was so impressed that he had almost pleaded right then and there to have seungkwan in their band. and it also gave him time, because now soonyoung and seungkwan alternated between the songs. it gave soonyoung time to breathe, and gave seungkwan more time to shine. almost everyone in the club loved his vocals, applauses always flowing in after each song. soonyoung was so proud of his choice to take seungkwan in.

today, however, the band did not have their crowd favorite vocalist, letting him heal from a bad case of cold and sore throat, making soonyoung the only singer for the day. and soonyoung had gotten so used to alternating with seungkwan that singing by himself feels extremely weird.

“so, i'm sure everyone here notice our favorite vocalist missing,” soonyoung says in between the set list. “the cold is a very bad thing. even we miss him a lot.”

“so that's why we've decided to do something we did a lot before,” joshua continues as soonyoung puts the microphone on the stand. “tonight, we're doing an open stage again!”

“however, this is quite different. instead of letting people come up themselves,  _ we're _ gonna choose the one who gets the spotlight.” mingyu adds. “so, i'd suggest  _ everyone _ to get ready because you never know when your chance will come.”

there is a mixed reaction from the crowd, soonyoung notices, but it isn't too negative at least. not everyone are good singers, but the stage is not just for singing. people can do whatever they want to, be it stand up comedy, or even a confession.

soonyoung is stepping back as the drumroll begins, scanning the crowd with focused eyes. he tries to figure out someone who could be  _ fun _ on the stage; someone who could maintain the energy, someone who's— 

soonyoung pauses at one. it's a guy, wearing round-rimmed glasses and focused on reading a book. there's half a cup of some drink before him, seemingly untouched.

it'll be a lie to say he isn't intrigued, but he isn't too interested in the guy at least.

“that person over there, reading a book!” mingyu says into the mic, shooting soonyoung a pointed look as all eyes land on the very exact guy. “come up the stage! everyone, welcome him with a round of applause!"

there is a round of applause as prompted by mingyu. the guy looks confusedly at everyone, and slowly shakes his head.

_ yeah _ , soonyoung thinks.  _ not him. let him go back to his book and be at peace _ .

“nope, you  _ should _ come up once we choose you! open stage rules, sorry,” joshua adds on. soonyoung just wants them to  _ stop _ ; he was just reading his book!

(and looking so handsome doing the bare minimum.

soonyoung is  _ definitely _ not interested.)

“you can do anything! sing, rap, beatbox, just anything you want to!”

the guy does come up the stage, repeatedly ducking his head like he wanted to disappear.

“i-i'll just sing,” he says, and  _ god his voice is so deep _ .

the guy then turns around to joshua and whispers something, to which the latter nods with a smile and adjusts his guitar.

soonyoung finds himself in a trance as the guy sings, his deep voice ringing in his ears. it was almost like he was being hypnotized; he did not know any way to break from the trance, no one warned him about any of this.

soonyoung watches quietly as the voice spreads across the room, softly, warmly, like a breath of fresh air. it is never too loud, yet somehow it is the only voice that stands out.

before soonyoung realizes, the song has ended and the person returns back to his seat, ducking his head back into the book in his hand. soonyoung hears mingyu and jihoon compliment the guy continuously, and wants to join them and just  _ say _ how beautiful a voice he has, but he could only find himself unable to speak a word.

"soonyoung seems to be stuck in his mind for some reason," joshua says, sending soonyoung a discreet wink. "anyways, shall we move on to the next song?"

soonyoung shoots a mocking glare at him and holds the mic stand again, talking about the next song. 

his eyes, and his mind, never leaves the person with big round glasses and a small smile.

彡

soonyoung finds him at the same place the next night, and the night after that.

he is quite surprised how he had never noticed him before the open mic night, and how he had never left his sight after that. soonyoung has memorized his spot by now: it's always beside the windows at the farthest corner of the club, no matter which side. soonyoung doesn't notice the time he comes in, because he is most probably at his house, pondering over which outfit to wear. it isn't like he wants to  _ impress _ the guy or anything, he just wants to look decent enough.

one bad habit that soonyoung has developed is never keeping his eyes off the handsome stranger. no matter how much he tries, his eyes travel to the familiar spot, hoping for a reaction of some sort. sometimes the guy does notice soonyoung looking at him, and flashes his small, soft smile before going back to his mobile or book, or simply munching into his food. but not once had he talked to him, nor has soonyoung taken a chance to go speak to him.

and soonyoung is fine with that. he likes the light hesitation that runs between them. the nights spent alone in his room aren't so bad anymore, filled with scenarios he would make up about the stranger and him. questions like what their first words to each other would be, what would his first impression be like to the handsome guy, how he could make him sing again, how their— 

"you're gone, aren't you?" chan, their drummer asks on the third day, in the few seconds of break they get in between, soonyoung stepping off the stage with the most blinding smile on his face. "we lost soonyoungie hyung, everyone."

"stop," he whines, but doesn't deny it either.

chan mentions the same to mingyu when he asks about it, to which soonyoung only replies with an almost-smack to his head.

"someone's in  _ love _ ~" mingyu joins in

"shut up and get back to work!"

soonyoung would not admit he  _ likes _ the guy, but he would dare agree that he has him in his thoughts all the time. so maybe he does like him. no, he doesn't.

_ whatever _ , soonyoung thinks.  _ as long as it isn't bad _ .

彡

seungkwan does return after a week, more excited than ever to finally be performing again. it is also a sort of relief for soonyoung, because he can finally, actually look out for a chance to talk to the guy.

"heard you got yourself an eye candy, hyung," seungkwan teases as the band sets up the instruments and microphone settings. "who's the lucky guy? is he a regular?"

"what? no!" he speaks into the mic, which resonates across the floor.

"no what?" joshua pops in, looking back and forth at soonyoung and seungkwan.

seungkwan sends a proud smirk to soonyoung before telling joshua about, well,  _ everything _ .

"how did you even  _ know _ , you weren't even here for the week," soonyoung whines his thoughts out loud.

"i have my sources, soonyougie hyung," seungkwan winks, making soonyoung scoff. "moonbin told me actually. y'know, my classmate? best-friend-forever-even-over-iced-americano?"

"just say the whole campus is your friend and go," soonyoung replies.

"he told me that you were ogling like a night owl." soonyoung hits his arm with an annoyed look on his face. "well, not that bad but still. really, you should talk to him and not stare at him like he's the 8th wonder or something. i think he'll be pretty creeped out."

soonyoung pauses for a moment and wonders. would he have felt creeped out? well, it isn't  _ normal _ that some guy stares at you continuously for every time he sees you, so maybe he would have felt weird about soonyoung not keeping his eyes off him. but would he have thought of soonyoung to be weird?

"stop thinking with a loudspeaker and get back to work, soonyoung," jihoon casually pats his back and walks down the stage to fetch himself a glass of water.

as the time approaches, soonyoung finds himself restless and nervous, but he would never tell that out loud, so he gulps a dozen-ish glasses of water and focuses too much on the volume of the microphone, much to the annoyance of mingyu.

he doesn't come.

soonyoung waits with bated breath as the seats fill up. there are a few people who are regular customers, just to listen to the band (they don't have a fixed a name… yet). they send encouraging smiles towards him, and he smiles back out of courtesy, but his mind is only on the guy.

(he feels so much regret for not asking for his name.)

"what? not finding your lover boy, soonyoung hyung?" seungkwan teases from behind.

"w-what?" soonyoung flusters. "who said i'm looking for him?"

"whatever helps you sleep at night, hyung," seungkwan replies while shaking his head. "anyways, we're starting in 10 minutes. you do remember the songs, right?"

soonyoung nods off-handedly, eyes still searching for the familiar face.

彡

he doesn't come the next day, or the day after.

soonyoung is visibly upset, eyes always moving back and forth in search, filled with curiosity and worry about the sudden disappearance. and maybe the others notice him fidgeting about in obvious worry, but they don't say it out loud. a little pat on the back, switching up for more songs than necessary, a smile of encouragement— soonyoung is glad that they are his friends.

this goes on for a week, and soonyoung almost gives up on the hope of seeing him ever again. 

almost.

彡

it's another normal day for soonyoung, lounging at the club before the scheduled performance. all of his bandmates are busy with one thing or another, and so he is at the club, bothering the two employees that work there: minghao, the waiter and junhui, the cashier. 

he is reminded yet again of how lonely a life he lives as he scrolls through instagram, mindlessly liking his friends' posts about the exciting parts of their lives. he barely uses social media anymore, and looking through instagram of all things makes him feel even more of a loner.

the stranger was nowhere to be found.

he closes the application and lets his phone rest on a side, letting out a resigned sigh and leaning against the table. there is still almost six hours till their evening performance, and soonyoung has absolutely no idea how to spend it.

"look at you," minghao says as he picks up soonyoung's half-empty cup of coffee. "get a life, mister kwon."

"i wish," he mutters weakly. minghao chuckles and pats his back before moving to tend to the other tables. 

it's a lazy afternoon, relaxed but not exactly empty either. soonyoung idly watches minghao and junhui attend to the customers, junhui flashing his handsome smile while minghao rolls his eyes at it, but flirts with the customers at the table all the same. soonyoung thinks they have a very interesting dynamic, one where they push and pull but always end up meeting in the middle. they aren't dating, but they aren't just friends either. like soonyoung says, it's a very interesting relationship, watching them comfortably toe around each other, a ballet dance that doesn't reach an end.

the piano music playing through the speakers lull him to a fitful sleep, swaying between his ears. he stretches his arm out and lies on it, planning on resting his eyes for a short while.

what wakes soonyoung up is the smell of hot chocolate (who drinks that in september) and a familiar face looking at him with a very familiar small smile.

"hello," 

soonyoung squints for a long while, unsure if he's dreaming or if he is really,  _ really _ looking at this handsome stranger.

"what?" is the question that spills out of his lips as he sits upright, rubbing his eyes away from sleep.

all the while, the guy before him— the same guy who he had searched amidst the crowd for one week, the same guy who had sang and managed to snatch soonyoung's heart (he finally admits it).

"well," the guy shrugs nonchalantly. "figured you would have missed me."

_ that's bold _ , soonyoung thinks at the back of his mins.  _ i like that _ . 

but is he going to give in that easily? no.

"who says so?" he shoots back in his still half-asleep state, which earns a low chuckle from the other.

soonyoung is absolutely  _ loving _ this.

"well, i kinda made a guess," the stranger smiles, scratching the back of his neck. "and i think it's right."

soonyoung blinks, blinks again, and wonders if this was the scenario he had built up in his mind. maybe this is even better.

"and why do you think it is right?"

soonyoung hears muffled whispers, unmistakably seungkwan's and chan's as they scurry out of his line of sight. he's more caught up with this unexpected conversation, so them eavesdropping does not manage to bother him.

"well…" the handsome stranger shrugs. "do i have to tell?"

soonyoung is struck with a shock he did not think of, having this guy stare right into soonyoung's eyes.

"are you staying for the night?" soonyoung asks, one arm tucked under his body that leans forward.

the stranger shrugs again (soonyoung has an off-handed thought of shrugging off his shirt-). "maybe, maybe not."

soonyoung opens his mouth to reply, but he takes a glance at the clock and realizes he only has an hour to get ready for the performance. reach his apartment that's three blocks away, wear something decent that is not his shabby t-shirt and track pants. "sorry, but i  _ really _ gotta go right now." he blurts out instead, probably startling the guy.

"oh, okay," he gets a reply as he stands up and steps away from the table, eyes pleading for a few minutes for him to rush to his small apartment and be back, fully dressed up. 

"i-i'll come back." soonyoung assures, though he isn't sure why he does that.

"i'll be waiting." the handsome guy smiles, honest to god  _ smirks _ and soonyoung is losing it all over again.

"soon." is the last word he utters before fast pacing out of the place, clutching his chest in his hand as he gets further away.

**_from: seungkwannie_ **

_ seems like your sweetheart isn't sweet after all _

_ maybe sugar and spice and everything nice ;) _

**_to: seungkwannie_ **

_ shut the fuck up _

彡

soonyoung returns to the club after an hour and a heavy contemplation session on what to wear to impress his  _ bold _ and handsome stranger. he had settled on a deep black leather jacket, and prayed to god it did not look awkward amidst his bandmates' outfits.

"hyung, this way!" chan calls out as soon as soonyoung enters through the back door, wearing a… leather jacket.

_ huh _ .

maybe he won't stand out as awkward, after all.

"you're the only one who has to set your mic, we're all done," jihoon says as he busies himself with scrolling through his mobile.

"and oh, your sweetheart is still here," seungkwan sends a wink his way, which soonyoung mockingly gags at. but he won't dent the excitement that fills his heart. "enjoy impressing him!"

soonyoung goes up the stage, looks around and— 

there he is. the same, warm smile, now with a lot more knowing, a lot more familiarity. soonyoung feels himself melt under the gaze, the feelings a welcome sensation passing through his veins.

" _ someone's _ in a good mood," seungkwan says into the mic, the sound louder than soonyoung expected for it to be. "let's start with our first song for the day, okay?"

soonyoung nods, eyes still on the stranger as the first notes of the song play out in the keyboard.

a dozen songs and a dozen more minutes later, soonyoung steps off the stage. the club is filled scarcely, but the stranger is still there. it makes soonyoung giddy with happiness, for some odd reason.

"let me know if you get laid tonight," mingyu says under his breath, only for soonyoung to hear.

soonyoung slaps his back with an annoyed grunt. "what are all of you obsessed over  _ my _ life all of a sudden?"

"because we've seen you be pathetically lonely for two years, maybe more than that" jihoon replies. "and honestly, you need this before you break down, like, literally."

"what break down?"

"before you start writing stupidly sad songs for the set list. all your recent lyrics have been so  _ depressing _ ."

"hey, it wasn't that bad—"

"should i read out what you sent me?" jihoon says with a pointed glare, shushing soonyoung up quickly.

_ admittedly _ , he had been sad, lonely and depressed about his boring, uninteresting life.

but not anymore.

"hey," he breathes out in a low voice as he gets down, hoping he still looked good enough.

the stranger smiles, smiles, and maybe his smile is the one stuck to soonyoung's mind all day. or maybe it's the voice. maybe the eyes, nose, lips, the way they all are put together so perfectly— 

maybe his friends were right, he  _ is _ deprived.

"let's go for a walk?"

it's almost 10 in the night, most of the shops around would've closed, there is nothing they would do than walk side by side. 

soonyoung loves the idea.

"sure."

彡

it has been long since soonyoung has been in a relationship. soonyoung had forgotten the nervous jitters and the pleasant emotions that bubble up at every chance given. in fact, he had forgotten how to dress properly for a casual date, that he had to call seungkwan and hear him complain about all his choices for two hours.

that quite explains why soonyoung is, well, a bit baffled when wonwoo turns up at his doorstep, looking every bit the handsome guy he is. this isn't even the first time, yet he's still taken aback like all the other times.

"ready for our date, soonie?" he asks, and soonyoung feels like he might as well just melt.

"y-yeah," soonyoung stutters, much to his own embarrassment, and slaps a hand over his mouth. "i— come in."

wonwoo replies with a signature smile and steps into the apartment, with soonyoung still cluelessly standing at the door.

"you have a nice place," wonwoo comments. "it's cozy and warm. i like it a lot."

"you always say that," soonyoung replies. he realizes how much of a nervous mess he is, and maybe wonwoo realizes it too, when he gives a light kiss.

"because i like it that much." wonwoo replies, hands around soonyoung's waist and chin on his shoulder. it feels  _ nice _ . "so, let's go?"

soonyoung nods, holding wonwoo's hand as soon as he locks the door.

he knew it wouldn't be the last time of his hand holding wonwoo's.

彡

"so, how's it to finally get laid?"

"shut up," soonyoung sighs in defeat, knowing seungkwan will never shut up even if he particularly insists him to. "and it's  _ good _ , to answer you."

"someone's  _ finally _ happy and out of the depressed state. cheers to that!" chan raises his glass of beer from the table, eagerly waiting for everyone to join him.

soonyoung sends him a tired glare and the rest return to their plates.

"hey, not fair!" 

jihoon is the first to break, chuckling and grabbing his glass. "to a happy soonyoung, or whatever. i'm just glad you aren't alone and moping anymore."

soonyoung lingers on his words. it  _ does _ feel like its long ago that he had been a lonely, kill-the-joy guy who wrote sad songs about loneliness and dwelled in solitude. ever since wonwoo had waltzed— or rather, harmonized his way into soonyoung's life. and wonwoo stayed, only for soonyoung.

soonyoung had almost forgotten what it is like to have someone to call  _ his _ . moving to seoul had made him pretty distant from his family, and even with friends and a life occupying enough of his time, he could not shake the feeling of loneliness away from him.

when wonwoo had entered his undisturbed, boring life, soonyoung did not expect this many changes to happen. he was taken aback, thinking of how he had been living before wonwoo had come to him. maybe jihoon was right. maybe he was moping about, unable to understand what he was lacking so much. maybe soonyoung had felt so dark and out of place, and had to find out what he needed to feel better, to feel happy with a reason.

and he has finally got it.

**Author's Note:**

> the song i imagined wonwoo singing was drunken truth, which he sang once in a vlive ;; can we have more singing wonwoo please
> 
> that clip is why this fic is more self indulgent but i had fun discussing with min and writing it!


End file.
